Dixie Lee Marsh
September 15, 1937 - June 1, 2022
In loving memory, Dixie Lee Marsh who passed away peacefully at home on June 1, 2022 in San Francisco, California. She was the devoted mother of Bruce Tingwall, loving sister of Richard Marsh and Pat Farrell and a good friend to many.
Dixie was a strong, adventurous woman. In her teens she found a job as a typist and model for a Union Square furrier. In the early 1960s, she landed a waitressing position at the Ilikai Hotel on Waikiki Beach.
In 1968, Dixie was recruited as a stewardess by Seaboard World Airlines to fly U.S. soldiers to Vietnam. She had many fun times in Japan and the Philippines. Her other airline jobs included taking soldiers to Saudi Arabia during the First Gulf War, bringing Moslem pilgrims from Africa to Mecca for the Hajj, and flying for Air Egypt.
Dixie flew out of JFK International Airport and lived in a beautiful historic house near the beach on Long Island. There she met Tony, the love of her life. Tony was an exuberant Italian New Yorker. For 25 years, they traveled widely, got dirty remodeling and flipping houses, and spent winters in Sun City, Arizona where Tony loved to wear his cowboy hat and throw large parties for the neighbors.
After Tony’s passing twenty years ago, Dixie returned to San Francisco to be near her son. She lived at the Broadmoor Hotel for active seniors. She traveled, partied, made friends, had boyfriends and enjoyed life. She and her son dined at fine restaurants, saw Broadway musicals, went on Costco runs and ate Mexican food with pitchers of margaritas.
My mother had health challenges during the past two years and we saw each other almost every day. She had caring aides, and she would call me saying that she and the aides missed me. I missed them too. We had a little family.
We miss Dixie very much, but we know she lived the adventurous life she dreamed of as a girl. Recently, she talked about being with her mother and Tony. I hope she is with them now.
Dixie Lee Marsh is survived by her son Bruce, her brother Richard and sister Pat, her nieces Shelly, Cindy and Debbie, her airline friends Jan and Carol, and her friends at the Broadmoor – Herbert, Satish, Garrett and Michele. She is predeceased by her mother, Mabel, her stepfather James Kennedy, and her boyfriend Tony Tessiero.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 23, 2022 at 12:30PM at Lima Family Santa Clara Mortuary, 466 N. Winchester Blvd., Santa Clara, CA 95050. Graveside service to follow at 2pm at Santa Clara Mission Cemetery, 490 Lincoln St., Santa Clara, CA 95050.